News about strike • Philadelphia

What do workers in the Philadelphia strike want and what was the city's offer? Union leaders are fighting for higher wages as well as health care benefits for all members. Parker and city officials claimed they've already offered DC 33 a 7% to 8% raise over four years.

Sanitation workers earned wages so low that many were on welfare and hundreds relied on food stamps to feed their families. On 11 February, more than 700 men attended a union meeting and unanimously decided to strike.

As far as the sticking points, DC 33 has asked for an annual 5% increase in pay. The city, meanwhile, is offering the union a 2.75% increase this year and a 3% increase over the next two years. The 2.75% raise the city is offering the union is slightly below what would be needed to keep up with inflation.